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Professional Development Lecture 6 Writing the Best Scientific Paper

Professional Development Lecture 6 Writing the Best Scientific Paper. Philip E. Bourne pbourne@ucsd.edu PLoS Comp. Biol. 1(5): e57. Professional Development Series. 1. Overarching Thoughts …. Your publications are the most important metric by which you are judged as a scientist

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Professional Development Lecture 6 Writing the Best Scientific Paper

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  1. Professional DevelopmentLecture 6 Writing the Best Scientific Paper Philip E. Bourne pbourne@ucsd.edu PLoS Comp. Biol. 1(5): e57 2011 Professional Development Series Professional Development Series 1

  2. Overarching Thoughts … Your publications are the most important metric by which you are judged as a scientist That metric is increasingly easy to measure H factor (ISI Web of Science) Number of citations (ISI, Google Scholar) Journal downloads Your papers will be around long after you are gone – they are your scientific legacy Think about that immutability as you write Numbers (regrettably) are important 2011 Professional Development Series 2

  3. Overarching Thoughts Quality is Everything 2011 Professional Development Series

  4. Personal Experiences • Have one of the most cited papers in the biological sciences (5,671) – hardly anyone has ever read it • Have papers that are highly read (as judged by downloads) but never cited • The work I am proudest of is not the most cited • As an Editor you see a lot of papers – both good and bad • Even the best scientists write bad papers - they just know how to work the system better 2011 Professional Development Series 4

  5. Emerging Metrics - Gerwick http://pubnet.gersteinlab.org/ 2011 Professional Development Series

  6. Emerging Metrics - Bourne 2011 Professional Development Series http://pubnet.gersteinlab.org/

  7. Acknowledgement • The following is a rework of the Ten Rules for Getting Published PLoS Comput Biol 1(5): e57 (there is a rule here - you can always improve your work) • Notes from Bill Gerwick “Writing a Research Publication – 21 Suggestions” which he has prepared for students 2011 Professional Development Series

  8. Rule 1 – To Write You Have to Read • Read at least 2 papers per day in detail • Review papers through journal clubs and take note of the reviews of others • Put aside papers you and others think are of high quality to refer to as you write even if they are not related to the topic • Look at papers which have open review – learn to write better papers from those reviews 2011 Professional Development Series

  9. Rule 2 – Learn to be Objective About Your Work • The best scientists are the most objective • It is easy not to be objective when you have buried yourself in it for months on end – see your work in a broader context – how will it impact science as a whole • It is easier for your mentor to be objective (it is only one of a number of projects going on in the lab) but still.. • Have independent colleagues who can be objective review your first draft 2011 Professional Development Series

  10. Rule 3 – Pick the Right Journal • In order of Priority: • The quality of the journal as defined by impact factor, Editorial Board and quality of reviews • Be realistic about where the work can be published – it will save time and frustration • The journal with the readership that is closest to your work • Go open access (personal comment) • Use the pre-submission system to be sure it is the right journal 2011 Professional Development Series

  11. Rule 4 – Learn to Write Well • This is critical to being a good scientist – it is not just about grammar, but comprehension • Take classes to improve your writing skills • This is valuable whatever your career path as you will need to present complex ideas clearly, logically and to a broad audience whatever in whatever you do • This will lead to less rejection and less rounds of editing 2011 Professional Development Series

  12. Rule 5 – Learn to Live with Rejection • Being objective makes rejection easier • Even the best scientists get rejected frequently • Failure to do so has adversely impacted very good scientists • If all of the reviewers think you have written a poor paper – 9 times out of 10 you have – move on 2011 Professional Development Series

  13. Rule 6 – Learn to Use the Review Process to Your Advantage • Good reviews will improve the paper significantly • Respond to all the points made by the reviewers • Do so in a polite and non-antagonistic way – particularly when the reviewer has not understood your point – consider it your fault not theirs • Respond in a way that is easy for the reviewer to comprehend: • Address every point head on in the response letter to the editor • Make it easy for the reviewer to see where you made changes e.g. with tracking 2011 Professional Development Series

  14. Rule 7 – You Know the Rules for Good Science – Do Not Ignore Them • Novelty • Comprehensive coverage of the literature to establish your motivation and hypothesis • Good data and appropriate analysis • A though provoking discussion 2011 Professional Development Series

  15. Rule 8 – Even if You Obey Rule 7 the Message Can be Lost If.. • The paper is poorly organized – think logical flow not a blow-by-blow – think scholarship • There is not the appropriate use of figures and tables • The manuscript is not of the right length • You are not writing to the intended audience • You do not obey (to the letter) the Guide to Authors – particularly important for the methods section • The title does not convey the message • You overstate your case with words like “novel”, “new” and a host of other adjectives 2011 Professional Development Series

  16. Rule 9 – Start Writing the Paper on Day 1 (Arguable) • Make a good bibliographic database to draw from as you go • Decide on the journal in which you will publish early • This implies the end result is a paper and not a new finding/knowledge – get real! • Draw up an outline • Structure the paper around the major results as found in figures and tables • Starting early makes it easier to finish – being the best at doing research is not enough – the world needs to know about it • As a PhD student this also implies you are writing your thesis as you do the work 2011 Professional Development Series

  17. Rule 10 – Become a Reviewer Early in Your Career • Have your mentors give you the papers they are reviewing – write a review and discuss with your mentor to improve your reviewing • Look at the reviews others have written • Understand the review process – EIC, AEs, reviewers • This will allow you to see your work in a new light 2011 Professional Development Series

  18. Discussion/Questions? 2011 Professional Development Series 18

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